Toward understanding regulatory mechanisms of stem cell homeostasis in hair follicle

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19709
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Dermatology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Morita Ritsuko 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 多細胞システム形成研究センター, 研究員 (20700040)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: live imaging / single cell RNA-seq

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the induction mechanisms of mouse hair follicle stem cells and their surrounding microenvironment by combining two marker-independent single cell methods, namely the single-cell resolution 4D live imaging and single-cell transcriptome. We established an ex vivo live imaging system for developing hair follicles that can visualize the cell behaviour and lineages of every cell at single cell resolution. Retrospective tracking of the stem and differentiated cells in time-lapse image data revealed the originating region of the hair follicle stem cells and their developmental dynamics and lineages. Moreover, we obtained single-cell transcriptome data from embryonic hair follicle throughout development and transcriptome analysis revealed the changes of cellular status leading to the emergence of stem cell population during hair follicle development.

Free Research Field

幹細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、一見均質な細胞から幹細胞と分化細胞が生み出され組織の秩序や恒常性が形成されていく仕組みを理解することは、毛包だけでなく多くの器官発生に普遍的に存在する「可塑性と頑強性」の理解に繋がると期待される。さらに、幹細胞の適切な維持・制御に必須な細胞周辺環境の解明につながれば、生体外における毛包培養や胎仔性幹細胞の誘導・増殖・分化の制御技術の開発に大きく寄与することが期待され、将来的には薬剤評価系の確立など、皮膚や毛包に伴うがんや疾病に向けた創薬開発に貢献できると期待される。